Packless ejector flush valve



Jan. 19', 1937. w. c. WEBER 2,068,252

PACKLESS EJECTOR FLUSH VALVE Filed Jan. 11, 1936 Patented Jan. I9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a packless ejector iiush valve.

An objectof this invention is to eliminate all packings on the flush valve of flush tanks, thereby eliminating the nuisance and expense of leaks and also the expense of repairs, such as replacing worn or faulty flush packings and also repairing ball vcock seats which are cut due to leaky ilush valve packings.

Another object of this invention is the provision of novel means for preventing water in the ush tank from being syphoned back intoy the water system through the ball cock, in the event the Water is shut off and drained for repairs, etc., thus preventing the slime Vand settlings in the tank Afrom being drawn back intoV the water system.

A still further object is the provision of simple and eicient means in the construction of a flush valve mechanism, wherein a syphonic action, an injector action and a mechanical action is involved.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a, View partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, while Figure 2 is a `top plan view of the same.

YFigure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3, Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cam device.

Figure 6 is a view partly in plan and partly in section taken on line 6-6, Figure 2.

It is to be understood, from the scope of the following claims that my broad principle may 'be reduced to practice in a number of modiiications, and, therefore, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, one and the preferred embodiment in which I designates a tank into which extends in any suitable manner theinlet pipe 2. The tank I is also provided with and suitably supports an outlet pipe 3, which will be hereinafter more specifically described.

Upon the upper end of the inlet pipe 2 (Fig. 3) is detachably mounted a cap 4. The cap 4 is provided with a valve seat 5. A float valve casing Slis threaded upon cap 4 against the annular flange 1. The casing 6 is provided with an integral horizontal ball valve casing 8. A bracket' (c1. iev-44) anupstanding arm I2. The base I constitutes a cover for the top of valve casing 6, the valve casing 6 and base I0 being detachably secured together by screws I3. Within valve'casing 6 is mounted a oat valve comprising body I4 that has an upstanding externally threaded stem I to which is detachably secured cap I6. This cap I6 extends through an aperture I1 of the base I0 Vfor the purpose hereinafter described. A sleeve I8 is provided with a lower inwardly-extending ange I9; this sleeve I8 being screw threaded on the body I4. This sleeve I8 supports a disc 20 that normally engages the valve seat `5. `An `inverted cup-shape washer 2l is mounted on the body, between its` upper end and cap I6.V By reason of this cup-shape Washer 2|, the water under pressure in pipe 2 will cause the valve to be raised quickly upon the device being manually operated as hereinafter described.V

At opposite sides of the cover-like base IIl (Fig. 4) is a pair of upwardly-extending guides 22.' A cam device 23 (Fig. 5) is movably mounted within these guides 22. This cam device comprises a central body 24 which is provided with parallel flat sides 25. Extending from opposite ends of body 24 are stub shafts 26. At the outer end of each shaft 26 is a disc 2'I. Extending horizontally from one disc 21 is an apertured lug 28. The shafts 26 are positioned between guides 22,

. as shown byV dotted lines in Fig. 4. The discs 21 serve to keep the cam device in position, agains lateral displacement.

A compound lever 29,'comprising link 30 and -link 3|, is employed. One end of link 30 is pivotally mounted at 32 upon the upstanding arm II-, with its other end pivotally connected at 33 to the upper end of link 3|. A rod 34 is pivotally mounted at35 upon the upstanding arm I2, and the rod is suitably connected at 36 to the lower end of link 3I. An ordinary ball-like hollow float 3'I is suitably fastened tothe outer end of rod 34. An adjusting screw 38 extends through link 30 with its head 39 normally bearing against the cam device 23. A locking nut 4U is on the threaded screw 38 against the link 30.

I'he ball valve casing 8 is provided with an internally threaded sleeve 4I into which is threaded the inlet end of jet connecting tube 42. Within casing 8 is formed a valve seat 43, which may be engaged -by ball valve 44. Pressure regulating screw 45 is threaded through the outer end of valve casing 8 and normally engages at its inner end ball valve 44. This valve closes against seat 43 to prevent any undesirable action by a back ilow through tube 42, to prevent sediment or slime in tank I from entering the valve casings.

The jet connecting tube 42 extendsat its outer en-d under the syphon hood 46. This tube 42 is j providedwith a discharge aperture 4'I (Fig. 6).

A valve sleeve 48 rotatably surrounds the outer end of tube 42 and is provided with an elongated discharge slot 49. An operating arm 50 extends downwardly from valve sleeve 48. On the lower end of arm 50 is a weight 5I. A horizontal rod 52 is mounted on the upper portion of the tank, with its inner end detachably connected at 53 to the apertured lug 28 (Fig, 2). extends at its outer end beyondV the outer face of tank I, and suitably secured to said extended vend is a depending handle 54. This handle acts as a weight, together with Weight 5|,.to return the mechanism to its normal closed or set position after it has been operated. A rod 55 is connected at its lower end to arm 56 and at its upper end it is-pivotally connected at 56 (Fig. 2) to rod 52. It will, therefore, berseen that when handle 54 is turned a quarterfway around in either direction, not. only will cam valve 23 be released, allowing the float valve to rise, but sleeve 48 will be synchronously vrotated to cause slot 49 to register with aperture 41 allowing dischargelof water under pressure into the syphon hood 46. The upper end ofthe outlet pipe 3 is preferably i enlarged in diameter from point 51, for the purpose hereinafter described. In other-words, the

upper end of the outlet pipe is largerthan the lower end, said pipe being reduced at 5.1.. The syphon hood is preferablyv attached at`58, 58 Yto the side of the outlet pipe 3,the outlet pipe being bevelled at 59 for allowing ready discharge of the water from the tank and jet device into the discharge pipe.

A refill tube 60 is required by sanitaryy laws of v various citiesas an after-fill on water closets or other receptacles which have a tendency to lose their water seal when' Asyphoned empty and is not an essential part of the flush valve except as required for refilling the Vwater seal in a trap, as in water closet bowls, etc. Packing nut 6I permits of making an air tight joint at the junction between the rell tube 60 and syphon hood 46. The outer end oftube 60 opens into the lvalve casing 6 (Fig. 3) contiguous to the float valve e therein, while the inner end discharges downcurrent of water flows back into the ballV casing 8, due tothe water being shutA off, and drained, thus preventing the contents of the ush tank from being syphoned back into Vthe water system.

An advantage of reducing the outlet pipe at 51 is that it facilitates starting of the syphonic action. The reduction at 51 assists in Vcausing the syphon action to respond quicker than when the tube is the same diameter all the way.

The water in tank I is normally of the same height inside of the syphon hood as it is outside, in the tank as a whole.

The jet of water that is released into the syphon l hood 46 through the jet valve `constituted bythe apertured end of tube 42 and sleevevalve 48 .(Fig. 6) actuates thesyphon to cause it to function as an ejector as well as a syphon, the jet supplying additional impetus required toexpely the contents j of the flush tank for flushing purposes` through the syphon.

When the `distance in heightY between theinlet "and outlet tubes of the syphon is a few feet or more, the velocity at the outlet of the syphon is suicient for flushing purposes. However, where this distance is only a few inches, as in the case in low tank closets, additional impetus must be sup-plied, this being accomplished by the injection of a small jet into the syphon inlet, constituted `within the syphon hood 46, causing the syphon to function as an ejector. The jet at 41, therefore, has several purposes: first, to actuate the syDhOn within hood 46; second, to increase the velocity of the water at the outlet 59 of the structure, causing rit to function as an ejector, and third, to rell the ush tank I.

` When the device is operated by swinging handle 54 either to the right or left a quarter of a turn, not only is the cam device 23 rotated toallow the float valve torise against one ofthe flat faces 25, but this action turns the valve sleeve 48 so that slot 49 is over jet aperture 41, thereby ypermitting the jet of water to flow upward into and through the syphon hood 46. Slot 49 is long enough to permit the. sleeve 48 to be vgradually rotated, to return to itsrighted positionv (Fig. 6)

without obstructing the full opening condition .of aperture 41,-until cam device 23 swings intoits righted position (Fig. 3) which takes place when the float 31 has-lowered sufficiently to permit suflicient clearance between the cam device 23 and `cam adjusting screw 38. TheI water Vpressure exerted on the cup washer 2I holds the cam device 23 in the open position, thereby holding the jet converter or sleeve 48 inthe open position until the float 31 lowers in the flush tank, due to the Water being drained out. Since the body 24 of the cam device 23 is of an ovalV shape, the same will gradually turn as float 31 lowers, and 4eventually return to the righted Vposition due to the clearance being increased between the cam adjusting screw 38 and the cap I8, which canonly rise a givenvdistance due to' the construction as vhereinbefore described. As hereinbefore stated, the cam device 23 is caused to return to the righted or normal position by reason of the Weight of handle I and weight 5I.

After the float 31 has travelled down, due to the water in flush tank I lowering sufficiently to allow the cam device 23 to right itself completely, the slot 49 in valve sleeve 48 has also passed entirely over the aperture 41, thereby intercepting the jet of water in its upward direction through the syphon or hood 46 and allows the jet to flow directly into the flush tank I torell the same. The syphonic action of the ush valve still persists after the jethas been diverted into the tank, until it has lowered the water in the tank to a level corresponding to the bottom of the inlet or syphon hood 46, or to av level ofany opening in the hood 46 which will cause air to enter the hood, thereby breaking the syphonic action of the flush valve. The water entering the tank I through the slot 49 and aperture 41, refills the tank and is gradually shut 01T by the action of the cam device and the float 31, whereby the water is eventually stopped from flowing into the tank I when the float 31 exerts suflicient pressure by means of the compound lever 29 on the cam device and float valve within casing 6 to cause the float valve to be tightly seated at 5.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention and illustrated the same in the `accompanying drawing, certain minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates during or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the present invention.

Further, in the following claims, I use the term injector in a broad sense, meaning an ejector when applied to the syphon hood or arrangements for quickly and eiiiciently removing the water from tank I for flushing action.

What I claim is:

l. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a flush tank, of an outlet pipe extending into said tank and being reduced within the tank, a syphon hood over said outlet pipe,

means attaching said hood to one side of said o-utlet pipe, said outlet pipe being bevelled at its upper end, and means for supplying a jet of water into said syphon hood or into said tank.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a iiuslr tank, of an outlet pipe extending into said tank, a syphon hood over the inner end of said outlet pipe, supply means including a jet valveunder said syphon hood, said jet valve comprising an apertured tube, a rotatable sleeve provided with a slot on said tube, and said slot being adapted to register with the aperture in said tube.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a ush tank, of an outlet tube extending intoI said tank, an inlet tube extending into said tank, a valve casing on said inlet tube, a float valve in said casing, said iioat valve comprising a body provided with upwardly extending threaded stem, a threaded sleeve provided with a flange on the lower part of said body, a disc engaging the lower face of said body and supported against said i'lange, an inverted cupi washer on said body and around said threaded stern, a cap on said threaded stem against said cup washer, manually operated and oat operated means engaging said cap for holding the iioat valve in a closed position or permitting the same to move to an open position, a

hood on said outlet tube, and means connected to said oat valve casing and being capable of discharging water intoI said hood or directly into said tank.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a flush tank, of an outlet pipe extending into said tank, an inlet pipe extending into said tank, said inlet pipe provided with a float valve at its inner end a rotatable cam device co-operating with.said float valve, said rotatable cam device comprising a body provided with parallel ilat sides, said body provided at its ends` With stub shafts, each shaft provided on its outer end with a disc, one of said discs provided with an apertured lug, manually-operated handle means connected to said apertured lug. A float means in said tank and provided with lever means co-operating with said cam device, and a valve-controlled Water discharge means connected to said float valve.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a flush tank, of an outlet pipe extending into said tank, an inlet pipe extending into said tank and provided with a float valve at its inner end within the tank, rotatable cam means co-operating with said iloat valve for normally holding it in a closed position, a compound lever mounted above and on said float valve and co-operating with said rotatable cam means, said compound lever provided with an adjusting screw having a head bearing against said cam means, a float in said tank and connected to said compound lever, a syphon hood over said outlet pipe, and means connected to said float valve and being adapted to discharge water into said hood or directly into said tank.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a ush tank, of an outlet pipe extending into said tank, a hood around the inner end of said outlet pipe, an inlet pipe extending into said tank, said inlet pipe provided on its inner end with a float valve, a jet tube connected to said float valve, a jet valve under said hood and mounted on said jet tube, a cam device supported by and cooperating with said float valve, an operating handle connected to said cam device, and means connecting said operating handle and said jet valve whereby when ther operating handle is operated theI oat valve will be released and the jet valve will be opened.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a ush tank, of an outlet pipe extending into said tank, a hood around the inner end of said outlet pipe, an inlet pipe extending into said tank, said inlet pipe provided with a float valve on its inner end, a jet tube connected to said `loat Valve, a jet valve under said hood and mounted on said jet tube, said jet valve including a slotted sleeve and a depending arm, a weight on the lower end of said arm, a cam device supported by and cooperating with said oat valve, an operating handle constituting a weight connected to said cam device, and a rod pivotally connected at its lower end to the arm of the jet valve and being pivotally connected to said operating handle.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a ush tank, of an outlet tube extending into said tank, an inlet tube extending into said tank, a iioat valve casing on the inner end of said inlet tube, a float valve in said casing, a bracket covering the upper end of said iloat valve casing, said float valve extending through a portion of said bracket, a rotatable cam device slidably mounted on said bracket and engaging the extended portion of said float valve, said bracket device comprising upstanding arms, a compound lever pivotally mounted on said upstanding arms, a iioat within said tank and connected to said compound lever, an adjustable screw carried by said compound lever and bearing against said cam device, and means for conveying water from said float valve to and discharging it either into said outlet pipe or directly into said tank.

9. In Van apparatus of the class described, the combination with a flush tank, of inlet and outlet pipes extending into said tank, a hood over said outlet tube, a iioat valve and a ball valve casing integrally connected together and mounted on said inlet tube, a ball valve in said ball valve casing, a pressure regulating screw extending through one end of said ball valve casing and against said ball valve, manually operated means and float operated means cooperatingwith and controlling movement of said float valve, and means connected to said ball valve casing and being capable of discharging water into said hood or into said tank.

WALTER C. WEBER. 

